Agenda and Meeting Notes

Deans Council - Dec. 17, 2024

  • Legislative Updates - Kelly Whitten, Associate Vice Chancellor for State Relations
  • Overview of the syllabus audit - Jen Roberts, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies
  • Classroom Scheduling/Centralized Scheduling policy - Nick Stevens, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management; and Barbara Bichelmeyer, Provost/Chief Academic Officer and Executive Vice Chancellor 

Meeting Notes

Legislative Updates

Kelly Whitten, Associate Vice Chancellor for State Relations, spoke with deans about expectations for the upcoming state legislative session and the new budget process. The governor will present a budget proposal in the first week of the session as required. This year, the house and senate have formed an executive committee to look at base budgets of state agencies and the non State General Funds (SGF). This executive committee will also develop a budget recommendation. The Kansas Board of Regents will submit university enhancement requests to both entities. 

Deans are encouraged to reach out to Whitten if they have questions or learn of emerging issues or trends from colleagues in Kansas or outside the state. 

Academic Affairs – Syllabus Audit

Jen Roberts, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies, updated deans on KU’s internal syllabus audit and requested that they communicate with faculty in their units about uploading syllabi in the repository before the accreditation-related deadline on Feb. 3. Using Simple Syllabus is the easiest method to ensure syllabi are policy compliant. Roberts also encouraged the deans to have someone from their unit - at the department level - check the repository by Jan. 10.

Coordinating Classroom Scheduling

Nick Stevens, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, and Barbara Bichelmeyer, Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor, shared with deans the purpose, goals and timeline for implementing a policy to coordinate classroom scheduling. The Provost emphasized the importance of this policy in ensuring students advance through their programs in a timely manner, allowing them greater access to curricula across academic disciplines, and meeting Kansas Board of Regents standards for classroom space utilization of 66% and providing students with the necessary courses to complete their degree in four years. The main campus’ classroom utilization is currently below the KBOR standard.

Stevens provided an overview of the current course scheduling process, explained the challenges of this process, and proposed a three-phase plan for implementing a more coordinated process between academic units and central administration. 

  • Phase 1: Begins in Fall 2025 and aims to make initial improvements in classroom utilization rates. 
  • Phase 2: Begins in Fall 2026 with a target 66% classroom utilization, meeting KBOR’s requirements.
  • Phase 3: Begins in Fall 2027. 25Live will be used for scheduling all classes (exceptions for labs, studios, clinical/practicum, etc.), and classroom infrastructure/renovation expenses will be centrally funded.